Bruins Journal: Kampfer was ready when called upon

Tuesday

BOSTON — As long as the Boston Bruins’ top six defensemen are healthy and the team is winning, Steven Kampfer’s fate is to watch and wait.

BOSTON - As long as the Boston Bruins' top six defensemen arehealthy and the team is winning, Steven Kampfer's fate is to watchand wait.

The 23-year-old Michigan graduate, who missed the first coupleof weeks with a knee injury, played in just five of Boston's first28 games.

But with captain Zdeno Chara missing with a knee injury, Kampfergot his first taste of NHL action in 26 days in Tuesday night's 3-0win over Los Angeles.

Playing a steady, no-frills game, Kampfer was on the ice for10:04 - the least of any Boston defender - and was paired atdifferent times with Dennis Seidenberg, Johnny Boychuk and AdamMcQuaid.

He was plus-two, and was penalized for hooking in the secondperiod and holding in the third.

After the morning skate, Bruins coach Claude Julien cautionedthat it would not be fair to expect Kampfer - with a total of just43 NHL games under his belt - to measure up to a perennial NorrisTrophy contender.

"That's big shoes to fill if you're asking a spare guy to comein and replace (Chara)," said Julien.

Instead, Julien leaned on Seidenberg, Boychuk and Andrew Ferenceto eat up some of Chara's ice time.

"We want to put (Kampfer) in the best position possible tosucceed . . . He's a player that skates really well and he can movethe puck," said Julien.

Kampfer - whose most recent game action before Tuesday night waswith Providence in the AHL on Dec. 2 and 3 - said that he andJulien had talked recently about staying ready.

"Right before I went down to Providence, I had a talk withClaude and he was telling me how practices need to be your gamesbecause right now we're healthy. He said you need to prepare justin case someone gets hurt, and you can go in and it will be aseamless transition," Kampfer said.

With Chara expected to return soon - possibly as early asWednesday night in Ottawa - Kampfer was determined to make apositive impression.

"You've just got to play your game, play solid, good hockey," hesaid.

He had it coming

Julien said that he agreed with the NHL's decision to fine BradMarchand $2,500 for slew-footing Pittsburgh's Matt Niskanen lastweek.

"I want him to be a good brat, not a bad brat," said Julienafter the game-day skate on Tuesday morning.

"When it happened, I addressed it right after the period,"Julien said. "Slew-footing is not something I like to see, whetherit's for or against us. If he's going to do that, he's going to befined and he's deserving of it. He has to own up to hismistakes."

Marchand received a two-minute penalty for tripping on theplay.

The $2,500 fine was the maximum allowed under the collectivebargaining agreement.

Old friend in town

Jack Ferreira, who is special assistant to Kings' generalmanager Dean Lombardi, is traveling with the team this week.

Ferreira, who grew up in Providence's Fox Point neighborhood, isa 1962 graduate of La Salle Academy. He was an All-State goalie forthe Rams, and an All-American at Boston University.

During Ferreira's 40-year career in pro hockey, he has been thevice president and general manager of the Minnesota North Stars,Anaheim Mighty Ducks and San Jose Sharks.